Curriculum

Prerequisite Courses

Dental Hygiene A.S. Bingo Sheet (PDF) (no longer available, last class will graduate in spring 2016)Dental Hygiene B.S. Bingo Sheet (PDF) (all students starting fall 2015)All prerequisite courses (except BIOL 22000) must be completed by June 1 with a grade of "C-" or better. No exceptions will be made for courses completed after June 1. Final transcripts must be received by the Dental Hygiene program no later than May 25 unless a course ends after May 25 but before June 1.

Prerequisite Courses

Credits

ENG W131 Reading, Writing, & Inquiry I

3

COM 11400 Fundamentals of Speech Communication

3

CHM 11100 General Chemistry I w/ lab

3

CHM 11200 General Chemistry II w/ lab

3

PSY 12000 Elementary Psychology

3

SOC S161 Principles of Sociology

3

BIOL 20300 Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab

4

BIOL 20400 Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab

4

BIOL 22000 Microbiology for Allied Health Professionals with Lab

4

Minimum Credit Hours

30

Microbiology (BIOL 22000) must be completed prior to beginning the Dental Hygiene professional program. Since Microbiology is not calculated into the prerequisite GPA for admission, it may be completed during summer sessions, just prior to admission into the dental hygiene program. However, the student’s acceptance is based on successful completion of Microbiology with a grade of "C-" or better prior to the beginning of Fall semester. Failure to complete this required corequisite course with a "C-" or better will result in the student being withdrawn from the professional program and their position given to the next qualified applicant.

If you are a student at another university in Indiana, use Transfer Indiana to find out what courses you have taken will transfer to IPFW courses. If you are a student at a university in another state or Transfer Indiana does not list your course, please apply to IPFW early so the admissions office can determine what credits transfer. If you have any further questions, please email your advisor.

Professional Courses

Clinic Patients

The dental hygiene student is responsible for finding and scheduling all the patients needed to meet the minimum requirements for graduation, as well as finding a board patient for the NERB clinical examination.

Attendance

Because of the sequenced, experiential learning process used in all dental hygiene courses, class attendance is essential and mandatory. Some evening and weekend events may be required each semester. Students are required to complete the courses in sequence as full-time students.

The grading percentages in the Department of Dental Education are more difficult than other university departments due to the skills & responsibilities required for employment in the healthcare field. Grading Scale: 100 – 94 = A93 – 88 = B87 – 80 = C79 – 75 = D74 and below = F

Example Class Schedules

1st Year fall and spring schedules can be taken at any time.

2nd Year Fall Class Schedule(subject to change in future semesters)

Service Learning

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Dental Hygiene students at IPFW engage in service learning through dental public health class, clinical rotations, and community dental hygiene class. Community sites include health fairs, schools, organizations, agencies, and the Service-learning area health education center.

Extramural Experiences

The Dental Hygiene Program at IPFW increases access to care for residents of northeast Indiana through clinical experiences at Matthew 25 Health & Dental Clinic. This clinical site provides dental hygiene students unique opportunities to deliver dental hygiene services to diverse populations.

Matthew 25 Health & Dental Clinic is dedicated to caring for people in need of health and dental care by providing health care resources that promote a better quality of life. They provide a vital service for the greater Fort Wayne area through the provision of medical and dental services to the uninsured and indigent in the community. The Matthew 25 Dental Clinic provides routine dental needs including dental examinations, x-rays, restorations, extractions, and dentures.